As slogans go, the Uprights' motto ("Fuck emo, let's dance!") is something to believe in. Though the eight-piece ska unit has been together less than a year, it's already built a small following with high-energy shows that don't stop till the last bead of sweat hits the floor. Part of that vim might have to do with a lineup that's mostly too young to vote. But this limitation has forced the outfit to find venues that don't card at the door, including a number of house parties (their debut was held at "Andy and Richie's B-Day") and a handful of El Torreon gigs. Fortunately, staying out late hasn't kept these teen toasters from doing their homework. Far from rehashing the mighty, mighty sad era of mid-'90s ska-pop, the Uprights kick it old school with a sound that's indebted more to the Specials than to Reel Big Fish. Rude? Nah. Boys? Definitely. But the Uprights have a heart: The jam benefits Afghani women, which definitely won't stop the KC collective from practicing its bring-the-dance-shoes philosophy.
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